MODELS OF ETHICAL COMMUNICATION

Communication Model

A pictorial representation of the communication process, ideas, thoughts, or concepts

through diagrams, etc. They can be considered to be systematic representations of the process that
help us understand how communication can be carried out.

Aristotle’s Model of Communication

Widely accepted and the most common model of communication where the sender sends a
message or information to the receiver to influence them and make them respond and act
accordingly.

Modes of persuasion

• LOGOS- refers to the logical appeal of the speaker. It is used to persuade the audience
through reasoning, facts, and evidence.
• PATHOS- refers to the emotional appeal of the speaker. It is used to evoke feelings of
empathy, sympathy, or compassion in the audience.
• ETHOS- refers to the credibility or trustworthiness of the speaker. It is established by the
speaker’s authority, expertise, or reputation on the subject matter.

Lasswell’s Model of Communication

One of the first and most influential models of communication. It was initially published by Harold
Lasswell in 1948 and analyzes communication in terms of five basic questions: "Who?", "Says
What?", "In What Channel?", "To Whom?", and "With What Effect?". These questions pick out
the five fundamental components of the communicative process: the sender, the message,
the channel, the receiver, and the effect. These questions refer to the most salient components of
the process of communication. Who asks about the person formulating the message and what is
about the content of the message. The channel is the way the message is conveyed from the sender
to the receiver. Whom refers to the recipient of the message. This can either be an individual or a
bigger audience, as in the case of mass communication. The effect is the outcome of the
communication, for example, that the audience was persuaded to accept the point of view
expressed in the message. It can include effects that were not intended by the sender.

Shannon and Weaver Communication Model

The Shannon Weaver model mathematical theory of communication follows the concept of
communication in a linear fashion from sender to receiver with the following steps:

1. Sender (Information Source)

The Shannon Weaver model starts with the sender or “information source”. They are the person
(or object, or thing – any information source) who has the information to begin with. The
information source starts the process by choosing a message to send, someone to send the message
to, and a channel through which to send the message. A sender can send a message in multiple
different ways: it may be orally (through spoken word), in writing, through body language, music,
etc.

2. Encoder (Transmitter)
The next step in the Shannon Weaver model is the ‘encoder’. The encoder is the machine (or
person) that converts the idea into signals that can be sent from the sender to the receiver. The
Shannon model was designed originally to explain communication through means such as
telephone and computers which encode our words using codes like binary digits or radio waves.
However, the encoder can also be a person that turns an idea into spoken words, written words, or
sign language to communicate an idea to someone.

3. Channel
The next step in the Shannon Weaver model is the ‘channel’. The channel of communication is
the infrastructure that gets information from the sender and transmitter through to the decoder and
receiver. We sometimes also call this the ‘medium’.

4. Noise
The next step in the Shannon Weaver model is ‘noise’. Noise interrupts a message while it’s on
the way from the sender to the receiver. It’s named after the idea that ‘noise’ could interrupt our
understanding of a message. There are two types of noise: internal and external.

Internal noise happens when a sender makes a mistake encoding a message or a receiver makes
a mistake decoding the message. Here’s the two points where it can happen:

• At the point of encoding (for example, when you misspell a word in a text message);
• At the point of decoding (for example, when someone misinterprets a sentence
when reading an email)
External noise happens when something external (not in the control of sender or receiver)
impedes the message. So, external noise happens:

• At the point of transmission through the channel (for example, when we’re having
a conversation by a busy highway and the receiver is having trouble hearing over
the sound of cars)
One of the key goals for people who use this theory is to identify the causes of noise and try to
minimize them to improve the quality of the message.

5. Decoder
The next step in the Shannon Weaver model is ‘decoder’. Decoding is the exact opposite of
encoding. Shannon and Weaver made this model in reference to communication that happens
through devices like telephones. So, in this model, there usually needs to be a device that decodes
a message from binary digits or waves back into a format that can be understood by the receiver if
we’re talking about direct communication between people without the use of technology, there
may still be a need for decoding.
6. Receiver (Destination)
The next step in the Shannon Weaver model is ‘receiver’ The receiver is the end-point of the
original Shannon and Weaver model of the technical communication process. This is the step
where the person finally gets the message, or what’s left of it after accounting for noise.

7. Feedback
Feedback occurs when the receiver of the message responds to the sender in order to close the
communication loop. They might respond to let the sender know they got the message or to show
the sender:

• Whether they got the message clearly without noise

• How well they understand the message

Berlo’s Model of Communication

Berlo’s model of communication takes into account the emotional aspect of the message. Berlo’s
model of communication operates on the SMCR model.
In the SMCR model

▪ S - Source
▪ M - Message
▪ C - Channel
▪ R - Receiver

S - Source

The source in other words also called the sender is the one from whom the thought originates. He
is the one who transfers the information to the receiver after carefully putting his thoughts into
words.

How does the source or the sender transfer his information to the recipient?

It is done with the help of communication skills, Attitude, Knowledge, Social System and Culture.
▪ Communication Skills

An individual must possess excellent communication skills to make his communication

effective and create an impact among the listeners. The speaker must know where to take
pauses, where to repeat the sentences, how to speak a particular sentence, how to pronounce
a word and so on. The speaker must not go on and on. He should also make a point to cross
check with the recipients and listen to their queries as well. An individual must take care
of his accent while communicating. A bad accent leads to a boring conversation.

▪ Attitude

It is rightly said that if one has the right attitude, the whole world is at his feet. There is
actually no stopping for the person if he has the right attitude. A person might be a very
good speaker but if he doesn’t have the right attitude, he would never emerge as a winner.
The sender must have the right attitude to create a long lasting impression on the listeners.
An individual must be an MBA from a reputed institute, but he would be lost in the crowd
without the right attitude.

▪ Knowledge

Here knowledge is not related to the educational qualification of the speaker or the number
of degrees he has in his portfolio. Knowledge is actually the clarity of the information
which the speaker wants to convey to the second party. One must be thorough in what he
is speaking with complete in-depth knowledge of the subject. Remember questions can pop
up anytime and you have to be ready with your answers. You need to be totally familiar
with what you are speaking. Before delivering any speech, read as much you can and
prepare the subject completely without ignoring even the smallest detail.

▪ Social System

Imagine a politician delivering a speech where he proposes to construct a temple in a

Muslim dominated area. What would be the reaction of the listeners? They would
obviously be not interested. Was there any problem in the communication skills of the
 leader or he didn’t have the right attitude? The displeasure of the listeners was simply
because the speaker ignored the social set up of the place where he was communicating.
He forgot the sentiments, cultural beliefs, religious feelings of the second party. Had it been
a Hindu dominated society, his speech would have been very impressive.

▪ Culture

Culture refers to the cultural background of the community or the listeners where the
speaker is communicating or delivering his speech.

M - Message

When an individual converts his thoughts into words, a message is created. The process is also
called as Encoding.

Any message further comprises of the following elements:

▪ Content

One cannot show his grey matter to others to let him know what he is thinking. A thought
has to be put into words and content has to be prepared. Content is actually the matter or
the script of the conversation. It is in simpler words, the backbone of any communication.

Ted to Jenny -“I am really exhausted today, let’s plan for the movie tomorrow evening”.

Whatever Ted has communicated with Jenny is actually the content of the message. It is
very important for the speaker to carefully choose the words and take good care of the
content of the speech. The content has to be sensible, accurate, crisp, related to the thought
to hit the listeners bang on and create an immediate impact.

▪ Element

It has been observed that speech alone cannot bring a difference in the communication.
Keep on constantly speaking and the listeners will definitely lose interest after some time.
The speech must be coupled with lots of hand movements, gestures, postures, facial
 expressions, body movements to capture the attention of the listeners and make the speech
impressive. Hand movements, gestures, postures, facial expressions, body movements,
gestures all come under the elements of the message.

▪ Treatment

Treatment is actually the way one treats his message and is conveys to the listeners. One
must understand the importance of the message and must know how to handle it. If a boss
wants to fire any of his employees, he has to be authoritative and can’t express his message
in a casual way. This is referred to as the treatment of the message. One must understand
how to present his message so that the message is conveyed in the most accurate form.

▪ Structure

A message cannot be expressed in one go. It has to be properly structured in order to convey
the message in the most desired form.

▪ Code

Enter a wrong code and the locks will never open. Enter a wrong password, you will not
be able to open your email account. In the same way the code has to be correct in the
communication. Your body movements, your language, your expressions, your gestures
are actually the codes of the message and have to be accurate otherwise the message gets
distorted and the recipient will never be able to decode the correct information.

C - Channel

Channel - Channel actually refers to the medium how the information flows from the sender to the
receiver.

How does one know what the other person is speaking? - Through Hearing.

How does one know whether the pasta he has ordered is made in white sauce or not? -
Through Tasting.
How does one know that there is a diversion ahead or it’s a no parking zone? - Through Seeing.

How will an individual come to know that the food is fresh or stale? How do we find out the
fragrance of a perfume? - Through Smelling.

How will you find out whether the milk is hot or not? - Through Touching.

All the five senses are the channels which help human beings to communicate with each other.

R - Receiver

When the message reaches the receiver, he tries to understand what the listener actually wants to
convey and then responds accordingly. This is also called as decoding.

The receiver should be on the same platform as the speaker for smooth flow of information and
better understanding of the message. He should possess good communication skills to understand
what the speaker is trying to convey. He should have the right attitude to understand the message
in a positive way. His knowledge should also be at par with the listener and must know about the
subject. He should also be from the same social and cultural background just like the speaker.

KEANNA DABON

BSMA 1

ENGLISH 100 (71935)